Authorities believe they have found remains of East Texas girl

Kayla Gomez, 10, went missing late Tuesday. Officials believe she is in immediate danger. Cherokee County Sheriff’s DepartmentCourtesy

Kayla Gomez, 10, went missing late Tuesday. Officials believe she is in immediate danger. Cherokee County Sheriff’s DepartmentCourtesy

Cherokee County authorities believe they have found the remains of a 10-year-old East Texas girl whose disappearance on Tuesday prompted an Amber Alert, according to a Houston TV station.

The Cherokee County sheriff has confirmed that human remains have been discovered, “possibly that of the missing girl,” a brief report on KHOU.com said.

The girl, Kayla Gomez-Orozco, disappeared about 8 p.m. during a prayer service at the Bullard First Assembly Church in Bullard, a town of about 2,700 residents that straddles the shared Cherokee-Smith county line, south of Tyler, according to media reports. An Amber Alert was issued Wednesday morning.

Sheriff’s office dispatcher Kayla Taylor said officials had no information to release when contacted about 9 p.m. by the Star-Telegram.

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The FBI on Friday was organizing a large search party for the girl from a large number of volunteers.

Family members said that after the service, Kayla went to sit in the lobby, KHOU.com reported. Her mother was talking with some people for a few minutes, and when they turned around, Kayla was gone, according to the report.

A tip around 6 p.m. Saturday led officers to the discovery of the remains, KLTV Channel 7 reported Sheriff James Campbell as saying. Kayla’s family has been notified of the discovery.

The TV report said a case investigator said evidence was found on property in the 22000 block of Old Jacksonville Highway in Bullard, and that investigators sought a warrant to search the property -- just a few miles from where Kayla disappeared.

No arrests have been made, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith told KLTV.

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